Artist of the day: Chris Tolan

Chris Tolan, the former guitarist of Tampa's Beauvilles, a tbt* Ultimate Local Band in 2009, has hit the ground skipping. Only a couple of months along, he and his players already have gotten positive feedback by show attendees and musician peers for their placid, multi-instrumental, cinematic melodies.

Click here to listen to Tolan's folksy track Acid Rain. And after the jump, get Julie Garisto's full profile of Tolan -- including the scoop on what happened between him and the Beauvilles ...

Flying solo, sort of: The former guitarist of Tampa’s Beauvilles, a tbt* Ultimate Local Band in 2009, has hit the ground skipping. Only a couple of months along, he and his players already have gotten positive feedback by show attendees and musician peers for their placid, multi-instrumental melodies.

Yours, sincerely: “There are too many bands that don’t have their hearts in it. I’m trying to bring back a little of that naive honesty to music,” he says.

His posse: “The context of my musical entourage currently is very spontaneous. I have a core group of three people that will always share the stage with me: Randy McMillan on standup bass, Tom Kersey on cello and Leah Connolly on flute and harmonies. I am excited to keep it fresh by having my friends sit in on interesting sounding instruments. My bass player is out of town this weekend, so I’m having my friend and cohort Joe Montanaro sit in on accordion. It helps keep a fresh sound.”

And what of the Beauvilles? “They are still doing their thing. I stopped playing with them about two months ago. It was definitely a needed change for me. I am not one to harbor much ill will towards anyone. I see Shawn (Kyle, vocals/guitars) occasionally out and about. John (Barker, bass) is one of my best friends since I was about 18. ... I myself am not quite sure of what really happened. Shawn and I were known to get into it with each other. I think where my own personal interests were headed made it apparent for everyone involved that it was time to move on.”

A softer, gentler side: “(Playing mellow music) is not anything really that new for me. I love all different kinds of music, and as an artist/musician I think it’s important to be versed in different styles. When I was young I played in some heavy metal bands, playing huge stacks of amps, and then I’d go home and listen to the White Album (The Beatles).”

Acid Rain: Tolan explains the inspiration behind his band’s new single. “Believe it or not, I started writing that song last year sometime, and was sitting there in a house filled with mannequins and holes in the ceiling. I had to arrange various cups and bowls to catch the rain. I was just thinking about the way people react to life, the circumstances we face, the things we want to do and accomplish, the fear involved with taking a risk, both outside and internal sources that prevent the way you want things to turn out, and just started writing about it. For me, it’s a message to tell people to think more lightly about life, to appreciate it, and not let any opportunity go by. I looked down at the page and realized that I was done with it. Took me about 10 minutes to write. I write songs like therapy sometimes; they just needed to come out.”

On sounding cinematic: “I’ve been told this a lot, actually, that my music would work well in the context of film. Does anyone have Wes Anderson’s cell number?”

Hear him and his friends: 9 p.m. Friday, with Lauris Vidal, Old North East and Philip Pietri and the Manatees, at Crowbar, 1812 N 17th St., Ybor City. $5. myspace.com/christolanmusic.